First up, apologies for the lack of a Tracks Of The Week feature last week, but our online editor was rushed to hospital to have his spine de-mangled. He's improving now, you'll be delighted to learn, although his career in rhythmic gymnastics is once again in doubt.
So first up, the results of the vote from two weeks again, where a hard-fought battle was won by Bad Touch, whose Skyman triumphed with a healthy 34.66% of the vote, with Gin Annie and Alter Bridge rapidly bringing up the rear.
Anyway, here's the Top Three.
And here, just so you can delight in their success once again, are Bad Touch, with their hit single Skyman. Well done, fellas.
Below you'll find this week's runners and riders. Spare the whip, don't use blinkers, and don't forget to vote for your favourite at the foot of the page.
Ghost - Dance Macabre (Carpenter Brut Remix)
While Ghost may sometimes come on like a band doing a pastiche of Blue Oyster Cult playing Abba's greatest hits (and there's nothing wrong with that), this isn't the case here. They've handed over the remixing reins to Carpenter Brut, whose name may sound may like a popular building site aftershave, but are actually one of those new-fangled synthwave acts. After recently enlivening Metal Hammer's Golden Gods Awards Show, Mr Brut is back with a take on Ghost's Dance Macabre which doesn't sound anything like Blue Oyster Cult or Abba. But yet it's still very pleasing.
Yes feat. Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman - Rhythm Of Love (Live)
Ahh, the old-fashioned joy you only get from well-seasoned musicians playing well-seasoned material with such natural freedom you could cloak it in a sack marked 'sweet, sweet nostalgia' and bury it deep in the cold black earth, and it would still come up smiling in a decade or so. Let joy be literally unconfined. Literally.
Girish And The Chronicles - 18 And Life
One of the most popular things we've posted on this site was Sweet Indian Child O' Mine, a cover version of the Guns N' Roses classic that beautifully melded traditional rock structure with traditional Indian Carnatic music. Well, one of the men responsible for that magic is back, as singer Girish Pradhan and his band The Chronicles have released a rather lively version of another hair metal banger, Skid Row's 18 And Life. Is there a Sunset Strip in Bollywood?
Tygers Of Pan Tang - The Devil You Know
For some there's a feeling that the Tygers never really recovered from their visit to Madam Rue's back in 1992. That Love Potion may have done wonders for their libido, but it did rather seem to hinder their career mobility. But cut to 2018 and they're still going strong, playing festivals, releasing albums that sell respectfully well, and launching tracks like this one, which, while not dragging them firmly into the 21st century, does manage to rock and roll in all the right places.
Echo Del Tusker - Can't Keep Your Man
Some of us here at Classic Rock Castle loved the debut Tequila Mockingbyrd album, and one of the things we loved about it was brilliantly named singer Estelle Artois, a vocalist with the rock chops to back up the mighty moniker. How good was she? Well, let's ask Lzzy Hale. "What a voice!," says Lzzy. "I love it!" Thanks, Lzzy! Now this particular byrd is back at home in Oz these days with new act, Echo Del Tusker, and Can't Keep Your Man is a frisky chunk of pop-rock that'll have 'em bouncing all the way from Brizzy to Bullaburra. We approve.
Clutch - In Walks Barabarella
"In Walks Barbarella is two stories woven into one," claims the press release that accompanies the new track from Clutch. "An adult man talks to a boy, maybe his son, about events that occurred 20 years ago," it adds, before breathlessly continuing, "Now add visions of Jane Fonda as Barbarella, ray guns, and tractor beams." From that description alone we actually considered not even listening to the song before adding it to this list, but we did, because that's what professionals do. And By Golly! We're glad we did! For it rips along like the funkiest, stankiest, most spacealicious thrust of pure rock-funk afterburner we've been singed by in weeks. Now off to the burns unit!
Those Damn Crowes - Don't Give A Damn
We're rubbish at giving advice, but we have two bits of advice for Those Damn Crowes. First, lose that video intro: unless things get interesting before the 10-second mark viewers begin to abandon ship, so by the time you've reached the start of Don't Give A Damn at 17 seconds in, many are already watching the The Moon City Masters video, below. Second, singer Shane Greenhall? Calm down, fella! You've got a great rock voice, but with those "yeah"s and "allright"s you're in danger of over-singing things to be point of actual irritation. All that aside, this is a frisky chunk of aggressive, modern rock with a proper tune that sounds like something good on the road to somewhere even better. Watch this space, we very much advise. Ooh, there we go again.
The Moon City Masters - The River
Talor Steinberg and Jordan Steinberg describe themselves as 'Twins that play funky shit', and this video certainly backs up that bold claim. They're definitely twins, they definitely have the funk, but they're also blessed with the ability to throw some serious jazz and yacht-rock shapes. It's upbeat, feel-good stuff, and they can seriously play. For those of you with long memories and dual subscription habits, you might remember the brothers from Prog Magazine, who featured their old band SkyTalk.
